Meanwhile: Meeting God in the WaitSample

There are many stories in the Bible that contain the eternal power to deeply touch a tender part in each of us, and I believe the story of Joseph is such a story. I have long been fascinated by this coddled young man who was bullied by his brothers, sold into slavery, and sexually harassed by an older woman, yet became the second most powerful man in the ancient world. It seems like a ridiculous movie plot, doesn’t it? I must tell you that Joseph has always been my favorite Old Testament character. While others might choose Ruth, Esther, Moses, or David - for me it has always been Joseph. One of the reasons I relate so deeply to his story is that he possessed the tenacity and resolve to serve God in the most critical and ferocious of times. Oh, how I long for the tenacity and resolve of this young man who lived thousands of years ago.

The God who worked behind the scenes in Joseph’s life is the same God who is able to do a mighty work on your behalf. When we allow God’s involvement in the writing of our stories, He can turn all of our “meanwhiles” into miracles. Joseph experienced a “meanwhile” that included a pit, slavery, and prison. Your meanwhile will certainly look circumstantially different from Joseph’s ancient story; however, living through a “meanwhile” is common to the human experience. I simply define a “meanwhile” as the test of faith between a crisis and God’s visible intervention. Our loving and omnipotent Father can revolutionize the most devastating moment of your life. He can transform it into your finest hour - just as He did for Joseph.

We have all experienced a “meanwhile” in life when faced with frustration and the unique pain that endless waiting stirs up. During my meanwhiles, I often wondered where God was and if He was even aware of what I was going through. However, I can assure you that for every meanwhile you encounter, God is working all things together for His good, your good, and for His glory. Dreadful events may deny outward blessings and confine us in a dungeon of pain, but they are unable to deprive us of sweet communion with God, our Father. If you are experiencing devastation today, spend time in prayer and ask God for the same favor that was given to Joseph.